Container unit for liquid samples

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a disposable container unit for liquid samples and is particularly useful for the collection of blood specimens. It includes an elongated compressible bulb member having an integral nozzle attached thereto. An elongated storage volume having a closed and an open end and a small cross sectional area is also provided, the open end being in communication with the bulb member. Preferably but not necessarily the longitudinal axis of the storage volume, the bulb and the nozzle are coaxial. If the container unit is held vertically upward, liquid in the bulb will not flow freely into the storage volume because of its small cross sectional area. Similarly, if the storage volume contains liquid and is turned upside down, the liquid will not flow from it into the bulb.

Sttes CONTAINER UNIT FOR LIQUID SAMPLES [75] Inventors: Wesley G. Perry,Wayland; James F.

Marten, Cohasset, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Damon Corporation, Needham Heights, Mass.

22 Filed: .lau.12,1971

21 Appl. No.: 105,930

[58] Field of Search,..l28/2 F, 2 B, 2 R, 2 G, DIG. 5, 128/272, 276,304; 23/230 B, 259

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,349,962 5/1944 Harris..128/272 X 1,570,346 1/1926 I-lahn ..128/272 3,322,114 5/1967 Portnoyet al 128/2 F 2,573,637 10/1951 Bender 128/272 2,595,493 5/1952 Slaby etal.. ..128/DIG. 5 2,965,255 12/1960 Gerarde ..128/276 X 1,589,056 6/1926Drummond 128/276 X 2,737,812 3/1956 Haak ..23/259 X 51 Feb. 27, 1973FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Kyle L. HowellAttorney-Kenway, Jenney & Hildreth [5 7 ABSTRACT This invention relatesto a disposable container unit for liquid samples and is particularlyuseful for the collection of blood specimens. It includes an elongatedcompressible bulb member having an integral nozzle attached thereto. Anelongated storage volume having a closed and an open end and a smallcross sectional area is also provided, the open end being incommunication with the bulb member. Preferably but not necessarily thelongitudinal axis of the storage volume, the bulb and the nozzle arecoaxial. If the container unit is held vertically upward, liquid in thebulb will not flow freely into the storage volume because of its smallcross sectional area. Similarly, if the storage volume contains liquidand is turned upside down, the liquid will not flow from it into thebulb.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZTISYE! sum 1 or 3 4 INVENTORSWESLEY G. PERRY JAMES F MARTEN PATENTEDFEBZ? I973 SHEET 2 [IF 3INVEN'IORS WESLEY G. PERRY JAMES F. MARTEN 7 ()RNEYS PATENTEDFEBZYIYJB Vf 3,718,133

sum 30F 3 I:\'\'E.\'TORS WESLEY G. PERRY JAMES F. MARTEN CONTAINER UNITFOR LIQUID SAMPLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTTONAutomatic analysis apparatus for performing a relatively large number ofanalyses on human blood samples is widely used in modern medicine as anaid in diagnosis and for screening large populations. In general, in thepast it has been the practice to collect the blood for such analysis ina container which has been at least partially evacuated and to which ahollow hypodermic needle is attached. After the needle has been insertedin a vein of the subject, the passage between the hollow passage in theneedle and the evacuated container is opened and the blood is suckedinto the container. While this procedure has been widely used for thecollection of blood samples in the past it has suffered from somedeficiencies.

Among these is the fact that the container in which the blood iscollected is not itself used to hold the blood sample for analysis.Rather, when analysis is to be done the blood is transferred to areceptacle used by the analysis machine and this blood is then analyzed.This transfer procedure presents opportunity for loss of sterility,spillage and possibly loss of patient identity because of clericalerror.

Another problem with the prior collection and container systems was thatrelating to blood sample size. Conventional analysis machines requiresubstantial amounts of blood for the generation of a complete profile oftests. Typically volumes of the order of 3 milliliters to 4 millilitersare required. By way of contrast, recently developed analysis machinesmay require only a few hundred microliters of blood for a complete bloodprofile. Such small volumes of blood may readily be obtained fromchildren or elderly patients as well as healthy adults without trauma.Also these small volumes for analysis are obtainable from small animalswithout injury. Typically such small samples are obtained by cutting thefinger, ear lobe or the like with a small lancet and collecting theblood by compressing a sterile bulb to which a nozzle is attached andthen sucking the blood Welling to the surface of the skin into the bulb.A novel disposable lancet for making precise incisions for thecollection of small blood samples is disclosed in the co-pendingapplication entitled Snap Acting Surgical Lancet filed Dec. 15, I969,Ser. No. 884,861, which is assigned to the assignee of this application,and is in the name of W. Perry now U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,608.

Disposable sterile container units which can be used as the samplecontainer in the analysis machine and are particularly useful in thecollection of small blood samples have also been heretofore developed.Such containers are shown, for example in the following pending U.S.patent applications, assigned to the assignee of the present invention:

inventors Liquid Collecting Container Liquid Container Having Pressure-Protected Dialyzing Membrane c. Hurtig 69,767 Sept. 4. i970 Theseapplications are now issued as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,640,267; 3,640,388; and3,640,393, respectively.

While the containers described in the patent applications cited aboveare useful, they do anticipate use by a skilled technician to measureprecise volumes. In practice it has been found that despite carefulinstruction, sometimes technicians do not collect the required volume ofblood.

Further, the containers described contemplated the dilution of the bloodsample and possibly its dialysis in the container itself. It has beenfound that in some cases it is more desirable to ingest a precisemeasured volume of the sample into the analysis machine and thereafterto precisely dilute it. Separation of the blood serum, which is used inanalysis, from the red blood cells may conveniently be accomplished bycentrifugation rather than dialysis, thus simplifying containerconstruction.

Finally as has been mentioned above, it is a significant advantage ifthe collection container is disposable. The units described in the citedpatent applications are relatively costly to manufacture as compared tothe container of our invention.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that as automatic analysismachines have improved, a need has developed for a blood collecting andstorage container, particularly for small blood samples, that would berelatively simple in use, economic in manufacture, adapted tocentrifugation or other methods of serum separation, and useful not onlyto collect blood but also adaptable for use as a sample container inmachine analysis.

It is therefore among the principal objects of our invention to providea container unit which meets the foregoing requirements.

Another object of our invention is to provide a container unit of thetype described in which the red blood cells and the blood serum may beseparated in the field and then maintained in a separated conditionduring shipment to a central analysis location. A further object of ourinvention is to provide a container unit of the type described which maybe manufactured by either blow molding or injection molding techniquesconventionally used for the manufacture of large quantities of plasticproducts in an inexpensive manner.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a container of thetype described which is convenient for the user to handle and which alsomay be used by relatively unskilled personnel.

Yet a further object of our invention is to provide a container unit ofthe type described which is generally useful for the collection, storageand treatment of liquid samples. These and other objects of ourinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptionand the accompanying drawings.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Container units made in accordancewith our invention include an elongated compressible bulb member at oneend of which is formed a nozzle through which the liquid to be collectedis ingested into the bulb. The bore through the nozzle is preferably butnot necessarily coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the bulb. Anelongated storage container is also attached to the bulb, preferably atthe end of the bulb opposite to that of the nozzle. Preferably, but notnecessarily, the longitudinal axis of the storage volume is coaxial withthat of the bulb. The entire unit may be molded of a translucent orsemi-transparent plastic such as low density polyethylene.

The cross sectional area of the storage volume i.e., its area measuredin a plane normal to its longitudinal axis at the point of communicationwith the bulb, is sufficiently small so that the storage volume is notself-venting. This means that the liquid to be sampled. may be aspiratedinto the bulb member and the unit then held vertically upward i.e., withthe open end of the storage volume upward and its longitudinal axisvertical. Because the storage volume is not self-venting, no liquidflows into it. A marker on the portion of the bulb immediately adjacentthe storage volume indicates that fraction of the volume of the bulbwhich is just sufficient to fill the storage volume. If sufficientliquid to fill the storage volume has not been ingested, more can beaspirated. If sufr'icient liquid is in the bulb, the technician merelyshakes down the liquid into the storage volume in the same manner as one"shakes down a clinical thermometer.

When the storage volume is filled, it may be inverted but the liquidtherein will not flow outwardly because the volume is not vented. Anyexcess liquid in the bulb beyond that required to fill the bulb may beexpressed from the nozzle.

The volume of the bulb is substantial as compared to the volume of thestorage volume, usually being at least three times the storage volume.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES A more complete description of container unitsmade according to our invention is included in the following detaileddescription and the accompanied drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the container unit of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view, partially in section, of a first embodimentof my invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. d is a partial side plan view, partially broken away, showing themanner in which the liquid sample is contained in the bulb before beingshaken down" into the storage volume;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 4 showing; the appearance of thestorage volume after the sample has been shaken down;

FIG. :6 is a side plan view, partially broken away, showing the mannerin which liquid is retained in the storage volume when in the invertedposition;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the appearance of the storagevolume after a blood sample collected therein has been separated intoserum and red blood cells;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of myinvention specifically designed for molding by injection moldingtechniques; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1, 2and 3 the container unit of our invention includes a relatively largebulb member lb having a nozzle generally indicated at 12 integrallyformed therewith. The storage volume, generally indicated at 14 is shownalso preferably formed by a wall member which is integral with thatwhich forms the bulb. A separable cap 16 is also provided for reasons tobe explained below.

The embodiment of our invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 isparticularly adapted and designed to be blow molded of low-densitypolyethylene or similar semi-transparent plastic material which is alsoat least somewhat resilient. The drawings of FIGS. 2 and 3 are scaledrawings at twice the size of an actual device made in accordance withour invention.

The bulb member as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an elongated cylinder withhemispherical ends, the length including the ends being about six timesthe internal diameter. The walls of the bulb are relatively thin so thatthey may readily be compressed by finger pressure to reduce the internalvolume of the bulb. In an embodiment of a device fabricated of lowdensity polyethylene the bulb walls were about 0.015 inch thick.

The nozzle 12 includes a cylindrical portion 12a, immediately adjacentthe bulb and a tapering portion 1212.

A bore of substantially uniform size extends through 1 both portions ofthe nozzle into the bulb interior. 7

The cap 16 has an internal bore 16:: whose surface engages the outersurface of the cylindrical portion 12a of the nozzle with a slidingfrictional fit so that the cap may be readily removed, yet will remainin place when attached to the unit.

The storage volume chamber is formed by an elongated hollow cylindricalmember attached to the bulb member at the end of the bulb opposite thenozzle end. As shown, the end of the storage volume secured to the bulbis open and the end farthest from the bulb is closed. It will beobserved that the cross-section of the storage volume is quite small ascompared to the diameter of the bulb. In the illustrated embodiment theinternal diameter was approximately 0.131 inches, giving across-sectional area of 0.0l35 square inches. The storage volume lengthwas about 1.81 inches, the closed end being hemispherical in shape. Thisvolume is sufficient to contain approximately 400 microliters of liquid.By way of contrast, in the illustrated embodiment, the total volume ofthe bulb is about 2,550 microliters. A flag or card 18 is integrallymolded with the side walls which define the storage volume 14. This cardis thicker than the side walls of the bulb and storage container. Asillustrated it extends from just below the bottom of the storage volumepart way up the bulb. In the embodiment illustrated, if the bulb chamber10 is filled with an amount of liquid such that,

when the container is held vertically upright, the upper surface of theliquid is in line with the top of the card and this liquid is thenshaken down," it will just fill the storage volume. Thus the volume ofthe portion of the bulb from its bottom to the top of the card is madejust equal to the storage volume.

The card serves to stiffen the side walls of the storage volume and thebottom of the bulb so that they are comparatively rigid as compared tothe upper portion of the bulb. It will also be observed that the cardextends to the right of the container unit, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, agreater distance than to the left. This makes the unit relatively easyto handle and also permits the unit to be readily positioned in a trayor other unit provided with a suitable slot.

A slit llSa is provided in the card about mid-way between the two endsof the storage volume. The purpose of this slit will be hereinafterdescribed.

When container units of my invention are to be used for blood samplecollection, they are sterilized in any convenient manner and a solutionof conventional anticoagulant and anti-foaming materials in a volatilevehicle such as distilled water is placed in the bulb. The vehiclecontaining these materials is evaporated, leaving the walls of the bulbcoated with crystals of anticoagulant and anti-foaming material.

The manner in which the container unit of our invention may be used willnow be described with particular reference to FIGS. 4 through 7. Ifblood is to be collected for example, the skin is incised as previouslydescribed and blood is allowed to well to the surface. The cap is thenremoved from a sterile container unit and the middle and upper bulbportion is squeezed between the finger and thumb to reduce the bulbvolume. With the bulb in this condition, the nozzle is placed in theblood droplet and the pressure removed from the bulb. As it returns tonormal volume it sucks in blood. The unit is then held vertically. Ifthe sample collected is sufficient to fill the bottom of the bulb to thetop of the card 18 (or such other marker as is provided) collection maycease. If it is not, additional blood is collected until the requiredvolume has been obtained. It will be noted that in this process, none ofthe collected blood goes into the storage volume. When a sufficientsample of blood has been collected, the bottom portion of the containerunit will appear as in FIG. 4.

Thereafter, the blood is shaken down into the storage olume by holdingthe container unit by the bulb portion and snapping the wrist in thesame manner as one shakes down the mercury column in a clinicalthermometer prior to use. The bottom portion of the container unit thenappears as in FIG. 5.

if an excess beyond that required to fill the storage volume has beencollected, after shaking down, the unit may be inverted and, as shown inFIG. 6, the excess blood will flow to the portion of the bulbimmediately adjacent the nozzle, where it may be expressed to wastesimply by squeezing the bulb. It will be noted however that the blood inthe storage volume remains in place, even when inverted and does notflow into the bottom of the bulb 10.

A blood sample of known volume has thus been collected for analysis andthe container may then be capped and sent to the analysis location.Alternatively,

before sending the sample to the analysis location, the sample may becentrifuged to separate the serum from the red blood cells while in thecontainer. After centrifugation the blood sample will appear as shown inFIG. 7 with the less dense serum portion in the upper portion of thestorage volume as indicated by 19a and the denser red blood cells in thelower portion as indicated by 1%. To maintain the separation of serumand red blood cells between centrifugation and analysis, the storagecontainer may be folded by folding the card 18 about the line 18bextending across the card from the slit 10a. Such folding collapses theside walls of the storage volume thus insuring a seal. between the redblood cells and the serum. For shipment, the two portions of the foldedcard may be clipped together by a suitable clip and this may be removedat the analysis machine and the card unfolded.

For use as a sample container for analysis machines, the upper portionof the bulb may be simply cut off immediately above the top of the card18 and the container unit placed in a suitable sample tray. Thecontainer unit of our invention has been designed particularly for usewith the automatic analysis apparatus disclosed in the commonly assignedco-pending U.S. patent application of D. l. Kozowsky, A. Ferrari and C.R. Hurtig entitled Constituents Measuring Chemical Analyzer HavingMultiple Concurrently Operated Aliquot Processing Conveyors, saidapplication having Ser. No. 105,805 and having been filed on the samedate as the present application. Sampling apparatus particularlydesigned for use with the container units of our invention is disclosedin the commonly-assigned co-pending U.S. patent application of J.Bannister, M. Jordan and J. Peters entitled "Liquids Sampler With ProbeBathing Chamber, said application having Ser. No. 105,803 and havingbeen filed on the same date as this application.

in FIGS. 8 and 9 we have illustrated another embodiment of a containerunit of our invention. As mentioned above, this design is particularlydesigned for manufacture by injection molding. FIGS. 8 and 9 are alsoscale drawings of an actual unit and are twice actual size.

The unit of FIGS. 8 and 9 is made in two parts and these are fittedtogether to form the complete unit. The upper part generally indicatedat 20 includes a nozzle portion 22, the upper portion of the bulb member24, a cap 25 and an integral attaching strap 25a to permanently attachthe cap 25 to the unit. The lower part, generally indicated at 26includes the lower portion of the bulb member 23, the storage volume 30and the flag or card 32.

It will be observed that the storage volume 30 and the lower portion ofthe bulb 28 are formed with walls of substantially greater thickness(about 0.030 inches) than the walls of the upper part of the bulb onpart 20. The walls of the upper part of the bulb are about 0.015 inchesthick in one embodiment and these are readily compressible when moldedof low density polyethylene. it will also be observed that in theembodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 the storage volume is not a right cylinderbut tapers. This taper facilitates the withdrawal of the injectionmolded part from the mold. However the mean diameter is substantiallyequal to the mean diameter of the blow-molded unit shown in FIGS. 2 and3.

A cylindrical collar 34 for receiving the lower portion of the part 20is formed on the upper portion of the part 26. Several smallhemispherical protruberances 36 are provided on the collar to facilitatethe attachment of an identification device during processing if desired.The inner diameter of the collar 36 and the outer diameter of the lowerportion of the bulb 24 forming a portion of part 20 are selected to forma close interference fit so that the two parts, when assembled as shownare sealed against leakage. The bulb member is provided with an integralshoulder 38 which engages the upper surface of the collar 36 to limitdownward motion of the upper part when the two parts 20 and 26 areassembled.

It will be apparent that the container unit shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 willfunction in the same manner as that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Itdoes have the advantage that the top need not be cut off when it isdesired to use the lower portion of the bulb and the storage volume as asample container. Rather the top portion 20 may be simply pulled out ofengagement with the collar 34.

As has been described above, the storage volume of units made accordingto our invention is not self-venting as is a conventional water glassfor example. As the diameter of the storage volume is increased, a sizewill be reached where this volume is self-venting and the liquid in thebulb will simply flow into the storage volume. We have found that incircular container units of our invention this largest diameter is ofthe order of 0.150 inches for water, blood etc. or the cross-sectionalarea is about 0.0177 square inches. If the diameter is larger than aboutthis value, the storage volume may fill as the liquid is aspirated bythe bulb and thus there will be no opportunity for determining when thedesired volume has been obtained. Further there will be no assurancethat the liquid, once in the storage volume will not flow out as thecontainer unit is placed in various positions during shipment. If thestorage volume is made smaller than about 0.040 inches in diameter, itis difficult to shake the liquid in the bulb into the storage volume.

While we have described the storage volume of our device as simply arelatively narrow closed container which is filled by shaking down theliquid in the bulb, it will of course be understood that the storagevolume might include a vent opening at its lower end which is normallyclosed by a valve. When the liquid sample is contained in the bulb, thisvalve could be opened and the liquid would flow into the vented storagevolume. Thereafter the valve could be closed to seal the vent and theliquid would not thereafter freely flow from the storage volume.

Additionally, while we have disclosed the concept of folding the storagevolume to maintain the serum and red blood cells separated, it isapparent that the plastic tubing forming the storage volume might beheat sealed or a valve located about mid-way between the ends of thestoragevolu'me might be closed to achieve separation.

The storage volume of the container unit of this invention can be termedas being provided by a compartment. Further, it will now be apparentthat this compartment provides a chamber that provides both a storagefunction and a measurement function.

It will also be apparent that, while we have described the use of thecontainer unit of our invention in connection with the sampling,treatment and storage of blood samples, it will be equally useful insampling other types of liquids such as urine or water in a sterilemanner and providing a container from which they can be removed by thesampler of an analysis machine.

Thus, we have provided a low-cost container in which a known smallvolume of liquid may be collected, treated (as by centrifuging) andstored and which will retain the liquid once stored therein despitecontainer unit orientation. With the upper portion of the unit removed,the lower portion may serve as a sample cup in connection with machineanalysis of the sample. Thus the sample, once taken need never beremoved from the sterile container in which it was collected. Because ofthe container units simple construction with resultant low cost, theentire unit may be disposed of once it has been used.

It will thus be apparent that this construction achieves the objects setforth above as well as those made apparent from the specificdescription.

Having described our invention what we claim is:

I. A container for the collection and storage of a liquid, saidcontainer comprising in combination 1. a bulb member having collapsibleand resiliently restoring walls so as to be pumpable, and normallyresiliently maintaining a first storage volume therein and normallyhaving a minimal internal cross-section larger than a first area,

2. a nozzle affixed to said bulb member and having a liquid passagecommunicating through the wall of said bulb member with the interiorthereof, and

. a measurement and storage compartment having a second volume thereinsmaller than said first volume and affixed to said bulb member, theinterior of said compartment communicating with the interior of saidbulb member through an aperture of lesser cross-section than said firstarea and being fluid-tight except for said aperture, said aperture beingsufficiently small to block the gravitational flow of liquid betweensaid bulb member and said compartment.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 further cornprisinglevel-indicating means on said bulb member} said level-indicating meansbeing so located on said bulb member that the portion of said firststorage volume between said level-indicating means and said aperture,when said container is oriented with said aperture disposed directlybelow said level-indicating means, is substantially equal to said secondvolume.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said container is made oflow density polyethylene.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said first volume is atleast three times said second volume.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said container unit ismade of low density polyethylene.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the cross-sectional areaof said aperture is less than 0.0177 square inches.

7. The combination defined in claim 1 in which chemical materials to aidin the preservation of said specimen are included in said bulb member.

8. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said compartment iselongated and said second volume therein is of uniform cross-sectionalarea between the ends thereof with a value not greater than 0.0177square inches.

9. Container apparatus for the collection of liquid volume thereof fromsaid bulb member for material and for the storage thereof, saidapparatus passing said liquid material from said bulb comprising memberinto said compartment,

1. a collapsible and resiliently restoring pumpable C- fOrming With Sa dbu b me ber a normallyaspirating bulb member normally having a firstclosed vesselopen y at Said nolllefimi storage volume and having anozzle for aspirating having the liquid-Passing cross-Section of Saidsaid liquid material thereinto, and open end sufficiently small topreclude the free 2. a measurement and storage compartment flow under atleast gravitational force of liquid a. having a known second storagevolume less than material between Said compartment and Said said firstvolume, bulb memberb. having an open end feeding into said storage

1. A container for the collection and storage of a liquid, saidcontainer comprising in combination
 1. a bulb member having collapsibleand resiliently restoring walls so as to be pumpable, and normallyresiliently maintaining a first storage volume therein and normallyhaving a minimal internal cross-section larger than a first area,
 2. anozzle affixed to said bulb member and having a liquid passagecommunicating through the wall of said bulb member with the interiorthereof, and
 3. a measurement and storage compartment having a secondvolume therein smaller than said first volume and affixed to said bulbmember, the interior of said compartment communicating with the interiorof said bulb member through an aperture of lesser cross-section thansaid first area and being fluid-tight except for said aperture, saidaperture being sufficiently small to block the gravitational flow ofliquid between said bulb member and said compartment.
 2. a nozzleaffixed to said bulb member and having a liquid passage communicatingthrough the wall of said bulb member with the interior thereof, and 2.The combination defined in claim 1 further comprising level-indicatingmeans on said bulb member, said level-indicating means being so locatedon said bulb member that the portion of said first storage volumebetween said level-indicating means and said aperture, when saidcontainer is oriented with said aperture disposed directly below saidlevel-indicating means, is substantially equal to said second volume. 2.a measurement and storage compartment a. having a known second storagevolume less than said first volume, b. having an open end feeding intosaid storage volume thereof from said bulb member for passing saidliquid material from said bulb member into said compartment, c. formingwith said bulb member a normally-closed vessel open only at said nozzle,and d. having the liquid-passing cross-section of said open endsufficiently small to preclude the free flow under at leastgravitational force of liquid material between said compartment and saidbulb member.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which saidcontainer is made of low density polyethylene.
 3. a measurement andstorage compartment having a second volume therein smaller than saidfirst volume and affixed to said bulb member, the interior of saidcompartment communicating with the interior of said bulb member throughan aperture of lesser cross-section than said first area and beingfluid-tight except for said aperture, said aperture being sufficientlysmall to block the gravitational flow of liquid between said bulb memberand said compartment.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1 in whichsaid first volume is at least three times said second volume.
 5. Thecombination defined in claim 4 in which said container unit is made oflow density polyethylene.
 6. The combination defined in claim 1 in whichthe cross-sectional area of said aperture is less than 0.0177 squareinches.
 7. The combination defined in claim 1 in which chemicalmaterials to aid in the preservation of said specimen are included insaid bulb member.
 8. The combination defined in claim 1 in which saidcompartment is elongated and said second volume therein is of uniformcross-sectional area between the ends thereof with a value not greaterthan 0.0177 square inches.
 9. Container apparatus for the collection ofliquid material and for the storage thereof, said apparatus comprising